The effect of waste concentration on destruction efficiency during incineration

Data from industrial incinerators and previously published laboratory studies have shown that destruction and removal efficiency (DRE) of chemical waste is adversely affected by lower inlet waste concentrations. The objective of this research is to use experimental data and theoretical modeling to study the effect of waste concentration on DRE. Original experimental data on methylene chloride (CH₂Cl₂) destruction and literature data on the destruction of methyl chloride (CH₃Cl) and benzene (C₆H₆), together with detailed mechanistic modeling, are used. It is shown that fragments derived from waste molecules modify the free radical composition in the combustion environment, and induce additional or altered destruction pathways. To evaluate the effect of waste concentration on its DRE quantitatively, the rate function η = e^-ΔKτ is derived, where ΔK is the total additional rate of destruction, and τ is the waste residence time. It is shown that the additional rate of waste destruction, ΔK, increases exponentially with waste inlet concentration.